Monolith, artificial intelligence (AI) software provider to the world’s most innovative engineering teams, has started work with Vertical Aerospace, a global aerospace and technology company that is pioneering zero emission aviation. Monolith will help the Bristol-based company optimise its eVTOL testing and simulation programmes to improve performance and accelerate time to market.
Flight and ground tests for eVTOL are incredibly complex, expensive, and time-consuming, typically requiring engineers to spend hundreds of hours validating simulations across tens of thousands of parameters and operating conditions.
Vertical Aerospace will use Monolith to accelerate development of its VX4 eVTOL aircraft by using AI for new design insights and more efficient test plans in less time. The first project focuses on testing and simulation of the VX4’s supporting pylon structures for ground tests of the propeller and electric motor structural and performance requirements.
Monolith’s advanced ‘Next Test Recommender’ (NTR) AI-driven algorithm will provide Vertical Aerospace engineers with a ranked selection of the most impactful tests to run, increasing design space coverage in unknown areas with a more efficient and trustworthy test plan.
Dr. Richard Ahlfeld, CEO and Founder of Monolith, said: “Urban air mobility has the potential to revolutionise how we travel, and one of the most promising contributors to this transformation is Vertical’sVX4. With Monolith, Vertical will model complex systems faster and accelerate test campaigns, enabling the company to learn more about design performance while reducing development and testing time.”
David King, Chief Engineer, Vertical Aerospace, said: “Transforming how the world moves requires constant innovation. Collaborating with Monolith allows us to harness cutting-edge AI technology to streamline our testing processes, enabling us to focus on the most impactful areas and accelerate the VX4’s journey to market. By integrating Monolith’s tools, we can enhance our engineering precision, reduce timelines, and continue setting the benchmark for the eVTOL industry.”
Monolith has a proven track record in aerospace engineering following recent projects with Airbus and BAE Systems on aircraft and drones. The London-based company is already democratising AI for engineering with its bespoke SaaS platform that uses no-code, machine-learning software, giving domain experts the power to leverage existing, valuable testing datasets for their product development. The platform analyses and learns from this information, using it to generate accurate, reliable predictions that enable engineering teams to reduce costly, time- intensive prototype testing programmes.
Integrating highly effective innovations such as the ‘Next Test Recommender’ tool and the industry’s first AI-powered ‘Anomaly Detector’ functionality, Monolith provides engineers with intelligent solutions to develop higher-quality products in half the time.
About Monolith:
Monolith software is trusted by the world’s top engineering teams including Siemens, Honeywell, and the BMW Group to develop better quality products in half the time. Backed by one of the world’s largest software investors and recognized by Gartner as a Cool Vendor for AI in Automotive, Monolith empowers engineering domain experts across vertical markets to accelerate development of revolutionary new products by using AI to model intractable physics from test data.
Featured in Forbes magazine and named one of the UK’s top 100 start-ups, Monolith was founded by Dr. Richard Ahlfeld, who received his PhD in Aerospace Engineering from Imperial College and was named to MIT Technology Review’s Top 10 Innovators under 35. Monolith is headquartered in London with enterprise clients worldwide.
About Vertical Aerospace:
Vertical Aerospace is a global aerospace and technology company pioneering electric aviation. Vertical is creating a safer, cleaner and quieter way to travel. Vertical’s VX4 is a piloted, four passenger, Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, with zero operating emissions. Vertical combines partnering with leading aerospace companies, including GKN, Honeywell and Leonardo, with developing its own proprietary battery and propeller technology to develop the world’s most advanced and safest eVTOL.
Vertical has c.1,500 pre-orders of the VX4, with customers across four continents, including American Airlines, Japan Airlines, GOL and Bristow. Headquartered in Bristol, the epicentre of the UK’s aerospace industry, Vertical was founded in 2016 by Stephen Fitzpatrick, founder of the OVO Group, Europe’s largest independent energy retailer. Vertical’s experienced leadership team comes from top tier automotive and aerospace companies such as Rolls-Royce, Airbus, GM and Leonardo. Together they have previously certified and supported over 30 different civil and military aircraft and propulsion systems. https://vertical-aerospace.com/
 software provider to the world’s most innovative engineering teams, has started work with Vertical Aerospace, a global aerospace and technology company that is pioneering zero emission aviation. Monolith will help the Bristol-based company optimise its eVTOL testing and simulation programmes to improve performance and accelerate time to market.){kind=link}